Production and comprehension of pronouns in individuals with autism: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Faught et al. (2021) pooled every paper they could find on pronoun use in autism. They compared autistic speakers to neurotypical peers of the same age and language level.

The team looked at six pronoun types: personal, possessive, reflexive, clitic, and ambiguous forms. They ran a meta-analysis to see which types were hardest for autistic learners.

Autistic learners slipped most on reflexive, clitic, and ambiguous pronouns. Personal and possessive forms were no different from typical peers.

In plain words, “myself,” shortened tags like “’em,” and unclear “it” caused trouble. “I,” “you,” “my,” and “your” were usually fine.

Colle et al. (2008) first showed high-functioning adults used fewer personal pronouns in stories. The new review says those forms are actually spared; the earlier sample may have been more language-impaired.

Qi et al. (2025) found kids with ASD predict words from verb meaning but not from tone. Together with G et al., this suggests pronoun errors stem from weak social cue use, not poor grammar alone.

Allison et al. (1980) reported odd functor omission in autistic children. The 2021 review refines that picture: only certain pronouns are at risk, and the deficit is selective, not global.

Stop treating all pronoun mistakes as one big problem. Probe reflexive, clitic, and ambiguous forms first. Model “himself,” practice shortened tags, and clarify what “it” refers to in real time. These quick checks can sharpen your language goals and save therapy minutes.